Devil takes to the deep blue sea in HM frigate

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The Royal Navy recognises Satanism, Elizabeth Day reports from
London.

A devil-worshipping non-commissioned officer in the Royal Navy
has become the first registered Satanist in the British Armed
Forces.

Chris Cranmer, a naval technician serving on the frigate
Cumberland, has been officially recognised as a Satanist by the
ship's captain. That allows him to perform satanic rituals aboard
and permits him to have a funeral carried out by the Church of
Satan should he be killed in action.

Leading Hand Cranmer is now lobbying the Ministry of Defence to
make Satanism a registered religion in the armed forces so that
Satanists can join up without "fear of marginalisation and the
necessity to put up with Christian dogma".

Leading Hand Cranmer, 24, who has been aboard the Cumberland in
the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf since April, said being
registered as a Satanist gave him "the freedom of religion I wanted
despite its controversial nature".

Satanists are encouraged to perform rituals in worship of the
devil, to fulfil their sexual desires and to change situations or
events in accordance with their will. Ritual trappings can include
a black robe, an altar, the symbol of Baphomet (Satan), candles, a
bell, a sword, a gong and a model phallus.

Leading Hand Cranmer is single and from Edinburgh. He has been
in the navy for four years and was promoted leading hand - the
naval equivalent of corporal - in July last year. He said he
realised he was a Satanist nine years ago when he "stumbled across
The Satanic Bible. I then read more and came to realise
I'd always been a Satanist, just simply never knew."

He said he had been warmly congratulated by his friends and
family for becoming the armed forces' first Satanist but did not
feel that the war in Iraq was "the devil's work".

"From a military perspective, I believe in vengeance. I don't
consider Satan to be an intelligently external force in my life;
instead I consider it an empowering internal force.

"Freedom to practise my religion irrespective of location was
one of the most important factors. I didn't want to feel I couldn't
get out my Satanic Bible and relax in bed. I didn't want to bite my
tongue any more when dealing with idiots.

"First, I can read what I want and express satanic opinions
without fear of prejudice. Second, I no longer have to attend
religious ceremonial duties.

"Third, I will have a space provided for satanic ritual practice
- I'm not a habitual visitor to the (ritual) chamber, but to know
that I have the facilities to use if need be is indeed a comfort.
Fourth, I will not be subject to a denominational burial should I
be killed in action. The Church of Satan will be contacted to
provide a service, and if this is impossible, a non-denominational
service will be performed."

The Church of Satan was founded in San Francisco in 1966 by its
high priest, Anton Szandor LaVey.

The arrival of the navy's first Satanist shocked veterans.
Admiral Sir Sandy Woodward, former commander of the South Atlantic
Task Groups in the Falklands War, said Satanism would be "terribly
undesirable" on a ship.